A rare photo of Shoeless Joe Jackson believed to be taken around the time of the historic 1919 “Black Sox” World Series is up for auction.
The date stamped on the back of the photo, Oct. 29, 1919, is about three weeks after the Series ended. Experts say the shot was taken just before, if not during, the series, according to a press release from auction house PWCC Marketplace.
The 7-by-10 Jackson photo was taken for the Newspaper Enterprise Association.
“Not only is this an iconic photograph of a legendary talent, but it’s also one of the few pieces of memorabilia left from the 1919 season,” said Nick Cepero, manager of memorabilia at PWCC Marketplace. “The commissioner wanted to erase all ties to the Black Sox scandal, so there aren’t a lot of pieces like this available. This is undoubtedly a holy grail item for Shoeless Joe Jackson, one the of the greatest outfielders to ever play the game.”